Style Of The Week 1/7/09 - Baltic Porter

[Stuster]

So after a bit of a gap, Pete's thread (and Andrew's post) have prodded me into doing another style. Being as it's winter (and there aren't many styles left to do) I thought we could talk about Baltic Porters. A big dark beer, often a lager but not always. Maybe something to put down now for next winter. :icon_cheers:

Here are some links to info on the style.

Jamil's show on Baltic Porters.
All about beer magazine article.
Threads on the HAG Baltic Porter extravaganza here and here.
One more thread on BP here.

So hopefully there are some people out there who've made one. What grains did you use? Hops? Is it possible to do this with kits and bits? Did you use a lager yeast or an ale yeast at cool temp? How long do you think it needs to mature? (Or at least how long did you patience hold out? ) Any commercial examples we can lay our hands on here to get an idea of the style? Tell us all you know so we can make a great big black beer. :super:



BCJP Style guide from here.

12C. Baltic Porter

Aroma: Rich malty sweetness often containing caramel, toffee, nutty to deep toast, and/or licorice notes. Complex alcohol and ester profile of moderate strength, and reminiscent of plums, prunes, raisins, cherries or currants, occasionally with a vinous Port-like quality. Some darker malt character that is deep chocolate, coffee or molasses but never burnt. No hops. No sourness. Very smooth.

Appearance: Dark reddish copper to opaque dark brown (not black). Thick, persistent tan-colored head. Clear, although darker versions can be opaque.

Flavor: As with aroma, has a rich malty sweetness with a complex blend of deep malt, dried fruit esters, and alcohol. Has a prominent yet smooth schwarzbier-like roasted flavor that stops short of burnt. Mouth-filling and very smooth. Clean lager character; no diacetyl. Starts sweet but darker malt flavors quickly dominates and persists through finish. Just a touch dry with a hint of roast coffee or licorice in the finish. Malt can have a caramel, toffee, nutty, molasses and/or licorice complexity. Light hints of black currant and dark fruits. Medium-low to medium bitterness from malt and hops, just to provide balance. Hop flavor from slightly spicy hops (Lublin or Saaz types) ranges from none to medium-low.

Mouthfeel: Generally quite full-bodied and smooth, with a well-aged alcohol warmth (although the rarer lower gravity Carnegie-style versions will have a medium body and less warmth). Medium to medium-high carbonation, making it seem even more mouth-filling. Not heavy on the tongue due to carbonation level. Most versions are in the 7-8.5% ABV range.

Overall Impression: A Baltic Porter often has the malt flavors reminiscent of an English brown porter and the restrained roast of a schwarzbier, but with a higher OG and alcohol content than either. Very complex, with multi-layered flavors.

Comments: May also be described as an Imperial Porter, although heavily roasted or hopped versions should be entered as either Imperial Stouts (13F) or Specialty Beers (23).

History: Traditional beer from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. Derived from English porters but influenced by Russian Imperial Stouts.

Ingredients: Generally lager yeast (cold fermented if using ale yeast). Debittered chocolate or black malt. Munich or Vienna base malt. Continental hops. May contain crystal malts and/or adjuncts. Brown or amber malt common in historical recipes.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.060 1.090
IBUs: 20 40 FG: 1.016 1.024
SRM: 17 30 ABV: 5.5 9.5%

Commercial Examples: Sinebrychoff Porter (Finland), Okocim Porter (Poland), Zywiec Porter (Poland), Baltika #6 Porter (Russia), Carnegie Stark Porter (Sweden), Aldaris Porteris (Latvia), Utenos Porter (Lithuania), Stepan Razin Porter (Russia), Ngne porter (Norway), Neuzeller Kloster-Bru Neuzeller Porter (Germany), Southampton Imperial Baltic Porter

 

[bconnery]

I haven't made one but Okocim Porter is available here.
I picked one up the other day and it is a very nice beer.
Big malty caramel taste but very smooth.

 

[glaab]

Nevre made one but have an interesting recipe ;

1st Place and Gold Medal Score - xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Baltic Porter

Batch/Wort Size (L): 25.00

Total Grain (Kg): 10.00

Anticipated OG: 1.091

Anticipated SRM: 40.4

Anticipated IBU: 46.2

Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %

Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.094 Plato: 22.44

Actual FG: 1.030 Plato: 7.56

Ferm 74 10

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

40.0 4.00 kg. Weyermanns Munich 2 Germany 1.038 9

30.0 3.00 kg. Bairds Stout England 1.037 2

7.0 0.70 kg. Weyermanns Wheat Germany 1.039 2

5.0 0.50 kg. Amber Malt Great Britain 1.032 35

5.0 0.50 kg. Bairds Pale Chocolate England 1.030 236

5.0 0.50 kg. Weyermanns Caramunich 2 Germany 1.033 46

5.0 0.50 kg. Weyermanns CaraWheat Germany 1.033 46

3.0 0.30 kg. Weyermanns Carafa Special II Germany 1.031 472

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

50.00 g. Czech Saaz Pellet 3.10 13.0 Mash H

35.00 g. Perle Pellet 7.90 33.2 90 min.

Yeast DCL 34/70 Weihenstephan Lager

Fermentation Specifics

Pitched From: Dry Pack

Amount Pitched: 300 mL

Lag Time: 36.00 hours

Primary Fermenter: Plastic

Primary Type: Closed

Days In Primary: 11

Primary Temp: 12 C

Secondary Fermenter:

Plastic

Secondary Type: Closed

Days In Secondary: 10

Secondary Temp: 12 C

----------------------

Original Gravity: 1.094 SG 22.44 Plato

Finishing Gravity: 1.030 SG 7.56 Plato

Mash Notes

----------

Went ok. Collected about 25 Litres at OG 1094 so decided not to dilute for

one batch. Blue lidded fermenter 15 Litres at 1094, Bucket fermenter 15 Litres at

1068. Pitch Temp 18 degrees C.

Fermentation Notes

------------------

Ferment temperatures quite low (ca 12), skimmed 7/6 and checked gravities, Baltic

still about 1050, diluted batch about 1030. 11/6, transferred fermenters to warm room

for a few hours then racked into other plastic fermenters, diluted batch SG 1022-4

(put into fermenter with thermometer), Baltic SG 1045 (put into fermenter without

thermometer). 21/5, diluted batch FG 1020 so bottled with 50g Dextrose & Baltic

Porter FG 1032, bottled without priming sugar.

 

[Stuster]

Bump.

Come on now. I know the HAGs have made some for starters. Doc? TDA?

I've been thinking of making one this winter. Not sure if I'll go the lager route, but tending more towards the Scottish Ale yeast at cool temps. Any thoughts on this?


Batch Size: 20.00 L
Boil Size: 23.67 L
Estimated OG: 1.088 SG
Estimated Color: 56.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 35.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 kg Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
2.50 kg Munich II (Weyermann) (16.7 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
2.50 kg Pale Malt (Barrett Burston) (3.9 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
0.25 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 3.13 %
0.15 kg Carafa Special I (Weyermann) (630.4 EBC) Grain 1.88 %
0.10 kg Carafa II (Weyermann) (817.6 EBC) Grain 1.25 %
35.00 gm Horizon [10.90 %] (60 min) Hops 35.3 IBU
1 Pkgs Scottish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1728) Yeast-Ale

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Bump.

Come on now. I know the HAGs have made some for starters. Doc? TDA?

I've been thinking of making one this winter. Not sure if I'll go the lager route, but tending more towards the Scottish Ale yeast at cool temps. Any thoughts on this?


Batch Size: 20.00 L
Boil Size: 23.67 L
Estimated OG: 1.088 SG
Estimated Color: 56.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 35.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 kg Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
2.50 kg Munich II (Weyermann) (16.7 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
2.50 kg Pale Malt (Barrett Burston) (3.9 EBC) Grain 31.25 %
0.25 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 3.13 %
0.15 kg Carafa Special I (Weyermann) (630.4 EBC) Grain 1.88 %
0.10 kg Carafa II (Weyermann) (817.6 EBC) Grain 1.25 %
35.00 gm Horizon [10.90 %] (60 min) Hops 35.3 IBU
1 Pkgs Scottish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1728) Yeast-Ale

You can see why I had porters / stouts in my original "Special Case Swap " list..

Not used Horizon (not heard of it)

Got all those grains or soon will .. tempting ....

 

[Snow]

I haven't made one but Okocim Porter is available here.
I picked one up the other day and it is a very nice beer.
Big malty caramel taste but very smooth.

I'd love to try this style. Where did you get the Okocim, Ben?

Cheers - Snow

 

[bconnery]

I'd love to try this style. Where did you get the Okocim, Ben?

Cheers - Snow

Nectar in West End...

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Sadly I never got around to brewing the baltic porter that I wanted too.

Will still do one, eventually.

C&B
TDA

 

[Brewmeister70]

Chris Taylor made one of the best Baltic porters I've ever tasted commercial or otherwise. It won best of show at the 2007 Vic Brew and inspired me to make contact with him. I'll alert him to this post and see if he is feeling generous with him thoughts on brewing the style well.

 

[sinkas]

I really like the Okocim, tried the Zwiec recently and it wasnt nearly as drinkable. There is also the Amber Grand Imperial porter available over here, that is between the two

 

[neonmeate]

I like that Ambar Grand. I still havent found Zywiec or Okocim around after years of looking!
I also really like the Redoak version of this style.

I have only ever tried to brew one of these once and owing to a nasty stuck sparge it wound up a 1060 OG schwarzbier instead. I tried to brew a version of the Perkunos Hammer from some US brewery whose name escaped me - using half a kilo of kidney beans, lots of dark munich, caramunich and carafa from memory... one of these days ill give it another go

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Chris Taylor made one of the best Baltic porters I've ever tasted commercial or otherwise. It won best of show at the 2007 Vic Brew and inspired me to make contact with him. I'll alert him to this post and see if he is feeling generous with him thoughts on brewing the style well.

Thanks Brewmeister ... incidentally I found one bottle of it left in the cupboard the other day so wonder if it is still as good.

Now I had never tasted or brewed a baltic porter before, but was intrigued with the idea of brewing an ale with a lager yeast.

This recipe that I stumbled upon was what has to be called a complete "fluke".

I mashed it too high, had terrible efficiency and ended up with very high attenuation. So all in all one of those beers that I can probably never repeat again.

Added to this had it lagering in my parent's spare fridge, and they managed to drop 1/2 of it onto the floor.


... but don't let any of that put you off giving it a go ... in the end I placed 3 or so times in competitions so must have been something good going on.


Wyeast 2206 ( Note made a 6L starter for this beer, with starter cold shocked, and starter wort poured off).


Batch Size: 25L

Efficency: ~70%


OG: 1.072
FG: 1.012 << went much lower then I expected.


Cara Aroma: 250g
Dark Crystal: 350g
Munich Malt: 1kg
Ale Malt: 5.5kg << From memory this was Powells ale malt
Carafa I: 150g
Chocolate Malt: 150g
Wheat Malt: 500g
Brown Sugar: 500g ( added at 10 min to go )
Molases: 40g


(Was just using up bittering hops on hand for 60 min additions )

Perle: 17g @ 60min
Tettnang: 20g @ 60 min
Hallertau: 20g @ 40min


Mash @ 67C ( Note actual mash temperature was lower, due to process error, probably more likely about 63C ).


Fermentation on primary for ~ 3 weeks. Bottled, conditioned, then lagered for 4 weeks in bottles at ~ 4C.

 

[raven19]

Thought I had posted this on this thread some time ago, but obviously not yet! Brewed this about 15 months ago. Still have a few in bottles.

Its still a work in progress, looking to make some changes to the next version. Note EBC is 2x larger than normal, due to previous incorrect entires in beersmith.

---

Style: Baltic Porter
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 32.88 L
Estimated OG: 1.092 SG
Estimated Color: 56.3 EBC
Estimated IBU: 41.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.35 kg Munich (17.7 EBC) Grain 56.42 %
3.72 kg Pilsner (3.9 EBC) Grain 33.06 %
0.50 kg Wheat (4.9 EBC) Grain 4.44 %
0.27 kg Crystal (275.8 EBC) Grain 2.40 %
0.23 kg Caramunich I (177.3 EBC) Grain 2.00 %
0.11 kg Biscuit Malt (47.3 EBC) Grain 0.98 %
0.06 kg Carafa II (1773.0 EBC) Grain 0.50 %
0.02 kg Choc Malt (2364.0 EBC) Grain 0.20 %
100.00 gm Saaz [4.30 %] (60 min) Hops 35.1 IBU
40.00 gm Saaz [3.60 %] (15 min) Hops 5.8 IBU
1 Pkgs Czech Pilsner (Wyeast #2278) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 11.26 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 30.02 L of water at 71.1 C 65.0 C
10 min Mash Out Add 18.76 L of water at 96.1 C 76.0 C